Spincast reels are well known in the art. A spincast reel typically includes a central body including a frame, a front cover positionable over at least the front face of the frame and having a tapered forward wall, a back cover positionable over at least the back face of the frame, a casting button projecting from the back cover, and a crank handle extending from a side of the fishing reel. Most of the operating structures and operating mechanisms of the reel are either mounted on, formed on, or mounted through the frame. A crank handle is operable for winding a fishing line around a spool contained within the reel. The spool is typically mounted on a spool hub that projects forwardly from the front of the frame.
A spincast reel will also include a foot structure for securing the reel on a fishing rod. The foot structure typically extends from either the bottom of the body or from the bottom of the back cover.
Operating structures and mechanisms contained in a typical spincast reel include an elongate main or center shaft that slidably and rotatably extends through the frame and through the spool, a spinner head secured to the forward end of the main or center shaft, a pinion gear positioned on the main shaft, a crankshaft extending from the crank handle into the side of the reel and through a crankshaft boss provided on the rearward face of the frame, a drive gear or face gear secured on the crankshaft, an anti-reverse mechanism in communication with the crankshaft for preventing reverse rotation of the crank handle and crankshaft, and an adjustable drag system.
A pinion gear is typically retained in the reel adjacent the rear face of the frame. The pinion gear is keyed on the main or center shaft for imparting rotational movement to the center shaft while allowing the shaft to slide longitudinally through the frame. The crankshaft drive gear operably engages the pinion gear such that rotational movement is imparted to the main shaft by turning the crank handle.
When an excessive pulling force is applied to the fishing line, the drag system counteracts the anti-reverse mechanism of the reel to payout a sufficient amount of additional fishing line to prevent the line from breaking. Most drag systems function to allow either an adjustable resistance to rotational slippage of the line spool about the spool hub or to allow an adjustable resistance to rotational slippage of the drive gear about the crankshaft. A typical drag system will also include an external adjustment mechanism, such as either a finger-operated drag wheel projecting from the reel housing or a star-shaped dial operably secured adjacent the crank handle on the exterior end of the crankshaft.
The spinner head attached to the forward end of the main shaft winds fishing line on the reel spool. While winding, the spinner head is positioned over the spool. When the user turns the crank handle, the rotational movement of the handle is mechanically transferred to the spinner head by means of the drive or face gear, the pinion gear, and the center shaft. The spinner head typically includes a mechanism for holding and positioning the fishing line so that, as the spinner head rotates, the spinner head wraps line around the spool. The mechanism is typically a set of line-grasping notches formed in a rearward edge of the spinner head or a spring-loaded pick-up pin or pins that project laterally through a sidewall of the spinner head.
A spincast reel will also typically include a biasing member for biasing the main or center shaft rearwardly toward engagement with the casting button. The biasing member commonly consists of a spring positioned around the rearward portion of the center shaft. The spring is typically attached to or retained by the rearward end of the main shaft such that the spring also holds the pinion or center shaft gear against the reel frame.
When casting a spincast reel, a user initially presses and holds the thumb button whereby the main shaft and the spinner head move forward and the spinner head clamps the fishing line against the tapered forward wall of the front cover. The line is thus prevented from moving outward, i.e., is prevented from paying out during the power portion of the casting motion. The forward movement of the center shaft and spinner head also typically activates a locking mechanism that limits the rearward movement of the spinner head such that the spinner head is prevented from returning to its winding position and disengages the line-grasping mechanism.
At the end of the casting motion, the user releases the thumb button to allow the shaft spring to move the center shaft and the spinner head rearwardly such that the fishing line is no longer clamped against the tapered forward wall of the front cover. With the line released and the spinner head prevented from grasping or otherwise engaging the fishing line, the line flows freely over the forward end of the line spool and through a line opening provided in the forward end of the front cover.
After casting, the user returns the spinner head and the line-grasping mechanism to their winding positions by turning the crank handle. One or more cam lobes or other release mechanisms are typically provided on the frame or elsewhere in the reel for releasing the spinner head locking mechanism in response to rotational movement of the spinner head.
One potential area for reel malfunction relates to the pick-up pins. Under certain conditions, friction between the pick-up pins and the spinner head assembly or other structures result in preventing rotation when a load was applied. In particular, contact may occur due to deflection of structure that support and move a line pick-up member between retrieve and casting positions, e.g., a line pick-up arm.